### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **bether**, represented by `{{H1335}}`, means a **section, part, or piece**. It is derived from the root verb `{{H1334}}` **bâthar**, which means to chop up or divide. Though it appears only **3 times** across **3 unique verses**, its usage is highly specific, consistently referring to the pieces of a divided animal within the context of a covenant ceremony.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{H1335}}` is used exclusively to describe the physical components of a solemn ritual for ratifying a covenant. In Genesis, Abraham is instructed to divide animals and lay each **piece** one against another as part of the covenant God makes with him [[Genesis 15:10]]. The book of Jeremiah provides a stark example of this ceremony's gravity, where the princes and people of Judah passed between the **parts** of a calf to seal an oath [[Jeremiah 34:19]]. This act is later cited as evidence of their transgression when they broke the very covenant they had sealed in such a dramatic fashion [[Jeremiah 34:18]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words illuminate the profound context surrounding the use of **bether**:
* `{{H1334}}` **bâthar** (to chop up; divide): This is the root verb from which `{{H1335}}` is formed, describing the direct action of cutting the animals for the ceremony, as seen when Abraham **divided** the sacrifices [[Genesis 15:10]].
* `{{H1285}}` **bᵉrîyth** (covenant): This is the purpose for which the pieces exist. The word itself is defined as a compact, often made by passing between pieces of flesh. The men of Judah are condemned for transgressing this **covenant** [[Jeremiah 34:18]].
* `{{H3772}}` **kârath** (to cut; to covenant): This verb is specifically used for making a covenant, often translated as "to cut a covenant." This action produced the **parts** of the calf mentioned in [[Jeremiah 34:18]].
* `{{H5674}}` **ʻâbar** (to cross over; pass): This verb describes the crucial action of the participants in the ceremony. The leaders of Judah **passed** between the pieces, finalizing their oath [[Jeremiah 34:19]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H1335}}` is centered on the solemnity of biblical covenants.
* **Covenant Ratification:** The **parts** of the animal serve as the physical markers of a ratified oath. The act of passing between them, as performed by the leaders of Judah, was the formal seal of their agreement [[Jeremiah 34:19]].
* **A Physical Witness:** The word is always tied to the act of cutting (`{{H3772}}`) a covenant (`{{H1285}}`). The divided **parts** stand as a tangible witness to the agreement made, making the subsequent violation a direct defiance of a witnessed oath [[Jeremiah 34:18]].
* **Implication of Self-Curse:** The ceremony of walking between the divided animal **parts** implies a self-maledictory oath. The participants effectively state, "May it be done to me as was done to this animal if I break this covenant." This gives immense gravity to the failure of the princes described in Jeremiah.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H1335}}` **bether** is far more than a simple word for "piece." Though rare, its exclusive use in covenant-making ceremonies provides a powerful and graphic illustration of the gravity of such vows in the Old Testament. It transforms the abstract concept of a covenant into a tangible, life-and-death reality, where the divided **parts** of an animal serve as a stark reminder of the promises made and the severe consequences of breaking them.
TRV